Who’s right: Harper or Layton?

Canadian PM Stephen Harper said to his fellow Conservatives Canadians are against elections and coalition threat is not appropriate at this moment. He emerges briefly to speak at the opening of summer session of Conservative Caucus, after month of strict silence, avoiding speaking about several important issues including long-form census. Moderately active NDP leader, Jack Layton, in a video interview to The Mark News said that Canadians are ready for new election more than they were ready in this time last year.

Recent EKOS poll shows that Harper’s CPC would lose 29 seats if elections would be held today. That means that CPC seats in Commons will be reduced from 144 to 115, including seven seats in Quebec. According to same poll that CPC is at 29.7 per cent; LPC at 28.7 per cent, NDP at 17.4 per cent: GP at 11.1 per cent; BQ at 11.1 per cent; and 13.6 per cent of voters is still undecided.

“We know there are some in the opposition coalition again threatening an election but, colleagues; that is not what Canadians want”, said Mr. Harper adding that Canadians want his government to continue to govern and that is what he plans to do, focusing especially on the economy.

Transport Minister John Baird said today Conservatives as minority government are always ready for possible elections, but he’s confident that we don’t will see any in next few months.

“My constituency wants us to be concentrated on them not on us and to take care about jobs, economy and all important questions”, he said.

If we read between lines Mr. Baird said that CPC is innocent and that opposition would trig elections without any good reason. Main negative in whole story for Baird is federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, probably because he spends his summer vacation on cross Canada tour talking with people and not hiding in official residencies somewhere on the lake and speaking about “beautiful situation in Canada”.

In his interview to The Mark News Layton asked several important and interesting questions about current government policies and activities. He also attacked PM Harper for being distant from fellow Canadians and for ridiculous keeping of leadership when almost half of Canada doesn’t support his party.

“I’ll tell you one thing that I noticed. Last year when I was talking to the people over the summer they are telling to me ‘please no another election’, now what I get when someone offers general opinion on that question it’s ‘when you will have an election to get rid of this guys’. It’s really interesting. Only in Canada you can get out and say that the party that has a twice many people who don’t support them as who do as somehow holding a lead and is able to be government. It’s ridiculous”, said Mr. Layton.

Going back to the past and recapitulating merge between Progressive Conservatives and Reform Party Layton said that he’s feeling a start of bubbling against Stephen Harper because he broke every single promise, and also for nepotism in the case of Conservative campaign chairman.

“Where is old Stephen Harper, who wouldn’t patronage appointments? But now he stuck the Senate with Conservative bagman. Even a guy who is in charge of Conservative campaign no longer need to be paid by Conservative donors, he is now paid by taxpayers, two thirds whom don’t even support Conservatives. It pretty good leverage”, said Layton.

He also make a point about Harper’s prorogation of Parliament and express his feeling that same situation can happens really soon; adding that NDP is ready for elections and that they have a long list of questions which need to be answered.

Remaining question is: “Whom we will trust?” I think when we combine polls and public reactions on long-form census crisis, billions spent on new fighters and Harper’s hiding from Canadians for months answer is pretty clear. Elections are matter of weeks because Canadians want that, and only way to avoid them is new prorogation of Parliament.